Web Content Viewer (JSR 286)

Web Content Viewer (JSR 286)

Export Requirements for Egypt

EG-40 (May 13, 2014)

Asterisks (*) indicate the most recent revision to these requirements. To search, click on your browser's "Edit" menu, then click on "Find (on this page)". Enter "*" in the "Find What" field, then click "Find" or "Find Next" until all asterisks have been identified.

Eligibility of equine products, including horsemeat, has not been determined at this time. Information will be provided as it becomes available. Until eligibility information is provided, export certification cannot be issued for equine products intended for export to Egypt.

Labeling Requirements

All Products - Storage temperature must be placed with the refrigeration statement on the boxes to fully clarify the type of product being handled. (Examples: "KEEP FROZEN - STORE AT OR BELOW ____degrees C.; KEEP CHILLED (OR REFRIGERATE) - STORE BETWEEN ____degrees C. and ____degrees C.")

Fresh/Frozen Meat and Poultry and Canned Meat - In addition to the labeling features mandatory in the United States, precut and packaged meat and poultry must bear the following features (in print):

Production date (slaughtering or freezing) - Spell out or abbreviate name of month (Example: JAN or JANUARY 1985).

Metric Net Weight.

Bilingual Labels. All labels must be in Arabic and English.

Additional Requirements - Country of origin, producer's name, address and trademark, name of the slaughter plant, date of production and expiration date, importer's name and address, and the name of the approved Islamic organization must be printed in Arabic on a label inserted inside the bag or wrapping for fresh/frozen products. For frozen meat, the type of meat and fat content percentage must also be written on the label.

Percentage fat content is only required on the carton label and may be added by the importer after arrival in Egypt, but before release by Egyptian authorities.

Percentage fat content labeling is not required for offals.

Documentation Requirements

All FSIS export certificates accompanying the product must be signed by an FSIS veterinarian. The veterinary degree (DVM or equivalent) must be indicated after the signature.

Obtain FSIS Form 9060-5.

At the request of the exporter, the date or range of dates of slaughter can be included in the "Remarks" section of FSIS Form 9060-5.

Special Characteristics of Product Certification. Exporters wishing to certify special characteristics of a product (such as types of pack or cut, weight range of product, quality, etc.), to satisfy supplier-purchaser agreements or specifications, may obtain such certification on a reimbursable basis from the grading services of the Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For cutting, deboning or other similar activities, as well as further processing, not performed at an establishment on the approved beef plant list indicated below under "Plants Eligible to Export", the source slaughter plant number should be included in the "Remarks" section of FSIS Form 9060-5 (Beef for this shipment originated from Est. xxx.).

For beef and beef products, obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness. A letterhead certificate must accompany the FSIS Form 9060-5 or the following statements must be included in the "Remarks" section:*

Foot and mouth disease and rinderpest have not occurred in the U.S. during the previous 12 months.

The product was derived from animals born in the United States or from animals legally imported.

The United States is recognized by the OIE as a negligible BSE risk country.

The product was not derived from animals that were slaughtered in an official disease eradication program.

The product does not contain and is not contaminated with specified risk materials as defined by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service in U.S. regulations 9 CFR 310.22(a).

Whole frozen poultry, leg quarters, drumsticks, and thighs. In addition to FSIS 9060-5, obtain an FSIS letterhead certificate with the following statements:

The poultry meat is derived from birds that were not under official quarantine for serious epizootic diseases affecting poultry including HPNAI, as defined by the OIE.

The meat is obtained from poultry found to be free of any clinical signs of systemic infectious or contagious diseases to which the species is susceptible as determined by ante- and post mortem inspection.

The poultry meat was handled under hygienic conditions under Federal veterinary inspection and has not been treated with and does not contain any preservatives, coloring matter, hormones or other substances harmful to human health.

The poultry meat is wholesome and fit for human consumption.

The means of transport, handling and loading conditions meet the hygienic requirements of the United States.

Handling/Storage Requirements

Egypt requires that instructions for consumers concerning storage, preparation and other special handling requirements accompany all shipments.

Other Requirements

Ship Stores - Port Said is a free port. All U.S. product would be eligible for ship stores for any flagship.

Egypt Import Inspection - Random laboratory samples for Salmonella are collected on meat and poultry product entering Egypt. Results of product testing by the country of origin, prior to shipment, will not be honored by Egypt.

Beef (including beef livers) is accepted when 10 percent or less of the samples are positive.

Poultry is accepted when 20 percent or less of the samples are positive.

Exception to permissible levels of Salmonella. If the type of Salmonella identified is S. typhi, U.S. paratyphi A, B, and C, or S. cholera suis, the shipment will be held pending a decision by the Ministry of Health.

Expiration Period

The expiration period for frozen beef livers, kidneys, and hearts is seven (7) months from the date of production. The expiration period for frozen boneless beef is twelve (12) months from the date of production. In addition:

Products with shelf life of six (6) months or more must arrive at Egyptian ports with at least three (3) months remaining shelf life.

Products with more than three (3) months to less than six (6) months shelf life must arrive at Egyptian ports with at least one (1) month remaining shelf life.

Products with shelf life of more than sixteen (16) days to three (3) months shelf life must arrive at Egyptian ports with at least one (1) week remaining shelf live.

Products with at least fifteen (15) days shelf life must arrive at Egyptian ports with at least three (3) days remaining shelf life.

The expiration date for whole frozen poultry, leg quarters, drumsticks, and thighs is 12 months from the date of production.

When a frozen poultry sample is thawed, the amount of water collected must not exceed 5 percent.

Fat content of red meat

The requirement that the fat content of products for direct consumption must be no more than 7 percent has been rescinded. Fat content of red meat for processing must be no more than 20 percent.

Sheep casings may be exported to free zones in Egypt for processing and re-export. The casings are not eligible for import into Egypt. FSIS Form 9060-7 should be used for casings exports.

Whole frozen poultry, leg quarters, drumsticks, and thighs must originate from an establishment on the list of U.S. Poultry Plants approved for export of halal poultry for Egypt.

Processed beef and poultry products may originate from any federally inspected establishment so long as the source slaughter establishment is on the Eligible Plant List for Egypt. For processed beef and poultry products, the source slaughter plant number should be included in the "Remarks" section of FSIS Form 9060-5 ("Beef/Poultry for this shipment originated from Est. xxx."). All shipments of further processed beef and poultry products must be accompanied by a copy of the halal certificate from the original approved slaughter establishment.

Because establishments seeking to export to Egypt must be approved for halal slaughter, FSIS Form 9080-3, Establishment Application for Export is not required. For information about halal slaughter procedures to export to Egypt, beef slaughter establishments should contact the U.S. Meat Export Federation, Export Services, Lindsay Cammel, either electronically at lcammel@usmef.org or by telephone at 303-623-6328. Poultry slaughter establishments should contact the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council either electronically at jmurphy@usapeec.org or smckee@usapeec.org, or by telephone at 770-413-0006.

Note to Exporters: Exporters should consult the import permit issued by the Egyptian General Organization for Veterinary Services (GOVS) for the particular poultry parts that may be exported under that permit.

Information Regarding Halal Certification

The following is presented as information for the exporter. FSIS is not responsible for certifying that products intended for export to Muslim countries meet appropriate requirements for religious slaughter. Procedures for export certification do not include agency oversight of the Halal process or review of the authenticity of the Halal certificate.

Ritual Slaughter - Islamic Slaughter Certification.

The exporter must obtain a Certificate of Islamic Slaughter from a member of an Islamic Center or Islamic organization. A Certificate of Islamic Slaughter is a certificate issued by a member of a Moslem organization recognized by the importing country to provide this service; the certificate states that animals were slaughtered according to Moslem religious requirements. This certificate must accompany products labeled "Halal." The certificate must be endorsed by the Arabian-American Chamber of Commerce or by an Egyptian Consulate and must accompany all shipments. The addresses and telephone numbers of the Arabian-American Chambers of Commerce are listed below. The list of Egyptian approved Islamic Centers is included in the Approved Plant List.

Halal Labeling

Halal certified product must be labeled with statement that product has been slaughtered according to Islamic principles (Halal labeling is an exporter and Halal organization responsibility.